I broadcasted the interview with Cuban piano virtuoso and innovative music icon Chucho Valdes on my KPFA radio program Con Sabor last night, Saturday Sept. 17th. Chucho will be presenting his new suite “La Creación” with an Yoruban orchestra and the Monkestra with music directors Hilario Duran and John Beasley this coming Thursday night, September 22 at the Paramount Theater in Oakland. This show is a presentation of SF JAZZ. The interview was done in Spanish. Here is the English translation of the interview.
LM: You’re currently on tour with your latest work “La Creación”. Can you tell us about this new project?
CV: This was an idea that I’ve had for many years about writing a suite telling the story of Olódùmarè. Olódùmarè is the most important figure among the Yoruba. He created everything that makes up what we call Santeria in the Yoruban religion. That’s why it’s full of stories, rhythms and other related things and I made “Culcho”. This is the most complete work that I have created in that sense. I took advantage of the time, finished the suite and I’ve had good luck with this work.
LM. Who is collaborating with you on this project?
CV: There are very important artists involved in this project. For example, I wrote the suite and the orchestration was made by John Beasley and it’s going to be played also with the Monkestra and the orchestration also was made by Hilario Duran who is a good friend of mine, he’s Cuban and a tremendous arranger who is fantastic! The work was completed, all the arrangements and orchestration done and was premiered here in Miami. It was a total success. Then we presented it at the Paris Philharmonic, in Europe and it has been greatly received by the public. We just played the Detroit Jazz Festival where I was artist in residence. And the suite was incredible..it was a great success! We’re very happy with this work.
LM: Do you intend to record La Creación in the near future?
CV: Yes, I have the intention of recording this suite in the future. Now that we’re on tour, we’ve been playing the suite over and over again and that’s very good. It could be that we make a live recording…the show that we did in Paris was very good. It could be that we’ll pick one of these performances for the record.
LM. You’re constantly on tour and playing with artists such as Joe Lovano and Dianne Reeves, your fabulous quartet and now you have been reunited with Paquito D’Rivera, your old bandmate with Irakere going back 40 years. Tell us about this new collaboration with Paquito.
CV: Well, it’s something really magical! We’ve reunited, we’re playing music together, we’re remembering old times, we’re having a great time together and making new music. I’m proud of this work. I’ve always admired Paquito not only with Irakere but with his own solo career. He is such an impeccable musician!
LM: How come it took so long for this reunion to take place?
CV: Parallel careers. I was living for a long time in Cuba. I was playing with my quartet, involved with my projects, my trio and solo piano. He was involved with his work. But like they say it’s never too late…
LM: You’re right! The recording is marvelous! I congratulate you on the recording and the collaboration between you two is great! You’re right! The recording has a lot of fire, a lot of energy! How did both of you decide on the selections for the recording?
CV: Between the two of us. Take for example, a standard like “Mambo Influenciado” that was the first song we recorded together back in 1964! And with Irakere, we recorded “Claudia” and we decided to record it again for this record. I helped to write a song with Paquito and he wrote a song with me as well. This recording has combinations, some old songs and jams that we used to do together and new arrangements to freshen material up. We relived old times and have renewed music together as well.
LM: Once again, I congratulate you! It is a marvelous recording. Will there be more collaborations with Paquito in the future?
CV: It all depends how busy we get! It could happen. I’m open to that possibility.
LM: In 1990, I had the luck of seeing Irakere in Paris at the New Morning club. It was an unforgettable concert. It was the first time that I saw Irakere in person. I always heard the group on record. Those records were phenomenal! During the early years of Irakere, did you ever think that the group would have such a huge impact?
CV: Never! No. We didn’t know what was going to happen. We were doing it without bias or pretensions. We were doing what we wanted to do. We were surprised by the reaction of the public and the critics and the resulting impact. We said look what is happening! We were accepted everywhere by the public and the reviews were good! It was great! We were a Cuban group and we recorded our first album for CBS Records! We were waiting to see what would happen and it happened!
LM: What was the most important lesson that you learned from your father Bebo Valdes?
CV: 100 percent…discipline, respecting the work (music), the sacrifice of working in the studio and always trying to create something new, passing on new good information. Respecting your own work but most of all, respecting the public.
LM: During the pandemic, I watched your livestream performances on the internet performing gorgeous music for the world. What gave you the idea of sharing your music with the world?
CV: There was a lot of sadness in the world at that time. Really sad things were happening. There was a lot of depression. I thought that music is something that could help in some way to lift spirits up. So I decided that every Tuesday at 3 pm, I would play my piano via satellite to the public. I felt weird because I was playing the piano by myself in my house for the public. But after a while, I started the notice the views on-line and I said Wow, this is reaching people a lot farther than I thought it would. It was widely accepted and appreciated by many people.
LM: On behalf of myself and I may speak for a lot of folks that listened, I really appreciated it immensely during that time. Such beautiful music and you changed the selections of music all the time, right?
CV: I always changed the selection of songs, I changed the styles of music. I played all kinds of music, not just Jazz. I played songs for people that wanted to hear that, I played Jazz, I would improvise as well.
LM: With everything that you have accomplished in your career, what drives you to keep creating new work?
CV: There are still a lot of things that I want to do. I’m currently composing a suite for two pianists. I had never done that. I’m also composing a suite for clarinet and piano that is dedicated for Paquito D’Rivera. I’m doing what I always have done but I’m also experimenting with different avenues of music. The suite for La Creación, the suite for two pianists, the suite for clarinet and piano dedicated to Paquito and a symphonic project that is going to be huge that I’m going to be working on. I’ll keep going…there’s a lot.
LM: Do you know who is going to be the other pianist in the suite for two pianos?
CV: The suite is going to be for two classical pianists. I’m going to compose the suite then I’ll choose the two pianists. It’s not a suite for Jazz
LM: Chucho, it was a great pleasure to speak to you. La Creación is now arriving in the San Francisco Bay Area where people love you and your music. Do you have a message for the listeners of Con Sabor and the people in the San Francisco Bay Area.
CV: I consider San Francisco to be my second home because I’ve been here many times. There is always a great welcoming audience in San Francisco and at SF JAZZ. We have performed a lot of different shows here but I consider La Creación to be a different project than has ever been presented here. I hope that people will like it.
LM: La Creación is going to be presented at the beautiful Paramount Theatre in Oakland. We’re waiting for you and your orchestra playing the music of Yoruba.
CV: Yes, we’re going to have the bata drums with the African roots and the background vocals in the Lucumi language. Something very special for everyone
LM: Chucho, once again a pleasure to speak to you. I wish you the best with La Creación and all your future projects.
CV: Thank you! I’m happy that I’m talking to you after all these years. I’m hoping that I’ll see you on Thursday evening. A big hug and thanks for the interview.
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